182 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



roots. They do not need as effectual protection as potatoes ; 

 for if the frost reaches them under a covering of earth, it 

 will gradually withdraw on the approach of warm weather, 

 and leave the roots uninjured ; but they will not keep as 

 long as if untouched by the frost. A slight opening for the 

 escape of the gas, as with other roots, should be left at the 

 top, and partially guarded with straw. 



Ifses. The beet is a universal favorite for the table, and 

 of great value for stock. Domestic animals never tire of it, 

 and swine prefer it to any other root excepting the parsnep. 

 I have kept a large herd in the best condition through the 

 winter, on no other food than the raw sugar beet. They 

 possess additional merit, from their capability of resisting 

 decay longer than the turnep, and frequently beyond the 

 carrot and parsnep. They will be solid, fresh and juicy, 

 late in the spring, if properly stored ; and at a time too when 

 they are most wanted for ailing sheep or cattle, milch cows 

 or ewes, or for contributing to the support and health of any 

 of the farm stock. 



When fed to fattening animals, they should follow, and 

 never precede the turnep. It has been found, that animals 

 continue steadily to advance/ in flesh, after being carried to a 

 certain point with turneps, if shifted on to the beet ; but in 

 repeated instances, thej- have fallen back, if changed from 

 beets to turneps. 



Davy found in 1,000 parts, the following quantity of nu- 

 tritive or soluble matter. White or English turnips, 42 ; 

 Swede, 64 ; mangold- wurzel, 136; sugar beet, 146. This 

 order of nutritive quality is followed by Boussingault, though 

 he places the field beet and Swede turnep, at nearly the 

 same point. Einhof and Thaer, on the contrary, place the 

 Swede before mangold-wurzel. But in feeding to animals, 

 unless for an occasional change, the roots should be given out 

 in the order named. 



The sugar beet is seen to be more nutritious than the 

 mangold-wurzel; it is equally hardy and productive, and 

 more palatable to stock, and of course is to be preferred as a 

 farm crop. The former has been largely cultivated in France 

 and Germany, for making into sugar, where it has been en- 

 tirely successful, because protected by an adequate impost 

 on the imported article. Their conversion into sugar, has 

 repeatedly been attempted in this country, but it cannot 

 sustain a successful competition with the sugar cane. 



From the experiments of Darracq, it has been found that 



